Background to the Programme
The University for Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), through its School of Graduate Studies (SGS), has introduced a pioneering Graduate Professional Skills Development Programme to equip graduate students with the competencies needed to excel in today’s highly competitive and dynamic professional environment. The initiative, developed in collaboration with Academics Without Borders and supported by experts from Queen’s University and the University of Victoria, positions UBIDS among the few universities in Africa integrating structured professional skills training into graduate education.
The programme was developed in response to growing concerns from employers, alumni, industry players, faculty, and students regarding the need for graduate students to possess not only academic expertise, but also practical professional competencies such as communication, leadership, networking, critical thinking, digital literacy, collaboration, career planning, and workplace ethics. Extensive consultations involving surveys and focus group discussions with over 200 stakeholders revealed that employers increasingly value soft skills and professional readiness alongside academic qualifications.
Objectives of the Programme
The Graduate Professional Skills Development Programme seeks to bridge the gap between academic training and workplace expectations by enhancing students’ employability, career readiness, entrepreneurial orientation, and leadership potential. The programme is designed to help graduate students become reflective professionals, effective communicators, ethical leaders, innovative problem-solvers, and adaptable contributors to national and global development.
Programme Content
The curriculum consists of core and elective modules carefully designed to strengthen students’ professional capacities. Core modules include Professional Skills, Leadership Skills, Reflection Skills, and Career Planning Skills, while elective modules cover Communication Skills, Critical and Creative Problem-Solving, and Teaching in Higher Education.
Who Can Participate in the Programme
The programme is open to all UBIDS graduate students pursuing MSc, MA, MPhil, and PhD programmes.
Mode of Enrolment
Students formally enroll through the University’s enrolment system, with each cohort expected to admit between 50 and 60 participants. Students are to look for advertisements soliciting applications on the website of the school of graduate studies, as well as on other social media platforms.
Programme schedule
The programme runs across the first and second trimesters of the academic year. Face-to-face sessions are scheduled mainly on weekends to ensure convenience for working professionals, while online activities provide additional flexibility and continuous engagement. Participants are also required to attend orientation and capstone events designed to enhance networking, mentorship, and integration of learning experiences.
Mode of delivery
The programme adopts a flexible hybrid delivery model that combines face-to-face sessions with synchronous and asynchronous online learning to accommodate both resident and working students across the country and beyond. Students participate in interactive workshops, lectures, mentoring sessions, group discussions, case studies, reflective activities, simulations, and practice-based assignments. Beyond classroom learning, the programme creates opportunities for students to interact with industry leaders, alumni, employers, and international experts through mentorships, guest lectures, seminars, and networking engagements. This practical orientation reinforces UBIDS’ commitment to producing graduates who are academically grounded, professionally competent, globally competitive, and development-oriented.
Programme Assessment
Assessment within the programme combines formative and summative approaches. Students are evaluated through class activities, assignments, peer reviews, practical exercises, and reflective engagements. At the end of the programme, participants compile a comprehensive Professional Development Skills Portfolio documenting their learning journey, competencies acquired, and professional growth. A draft cover letter, teaching dossier, testimonials, or other artifacts suitable for adapting to job applications are tangible documents to be included in the portfolio. Successful participants receive formal recognition through certificates awarded alongside their academic degrees, with outstanding graduates showcased on the University’s website.
As UBIDS continues to pursue its vision of becoming an internationally acclaimed institution for development-oriented education and research, the Graduate Professional Skills Development Programme represents a bold and transformative step toward redefining graduate education in Africa. Prospective students seeking not only a graduate degree but also a competitive professional edge are encouraged to join UBIDS and take advantage of this unique and innovative opportunity.